What is Betrayal Trauma and how can counselling help?

Betrayal trauma occurs when someone's trust is shattered by a partner's secret addiction or infidelity. In counselling, we focus on establishing safety and stabilization first, using psycho-education to normalize your experience of rage, hyper-vigilance, and paranoia before moving into deep healing and boundary work.

Do you offer in-person addiction counselling in Melbourne?

Yes. I provide face-to-face specialist counselling for addiction and betrayal trauma at my office in Croydon, in Melbourne’s South East. I also offer Telehealth sessions for clients Australia-wide.

How does lived experience improve addiction recovery outcomes?

Lived experience creates a 'bridge of trust' that clinical-only approaches often lack. By combining my Bachelor of Counselling with my own recovery journey, I offer an empathetic, non-judgmental space where clients feel truly seen while utilizing evidence-based frameworks like CBT and Motivational Interviewing.

Can you help with sex, porn, or gambling addictions?

Absolutely. I specialize in process addictions, including sex, porn, gambling, and shopping. We work together to identify unique triggers and use Polyvagal Theory and psychodynamic techniques to understand and rewire the neurological processes behind addictive cycles.

Infidelity and Betrayal Trauma

I provide specialised support for those who have learned of their partners infidelity and may be experiencing betrayal trauma. I also provide couples counselling for partners wanting to heal after betrayal and people and their partners who identify as having sexual addictions and out of control sexual behaviours.

Why

Betrayal trauma is a profound psychological injury that shatters one’s sense of safety, requiring a specialised counselling approach that goes far beyond standard grief or relationship advice. When a partner cheats, the nuance lies in the attachment injury- the person who was supposed to be your primary source of care and protection has become the source of your greatest pain, leaving the brain in a state of hyper-vigilance and disorienting cognitive dissonance.

Because most onlookers default to the simplistic advice of "just leave," having a guide with lived experience is invaluable; they offer a grounded perspective that honors the messy, agonising complexity of shared histories, financial ties, and the lingering love that makes walking away much harder than it sounds.

The Process

For the person experiencing betrayal trauma we establish safety and stabilisation before any deep processing can occur. I use psycho-education to normalise your experience through teaching you the biology behind betrayal trauma. This helps you understand why you may be experiencing rage, hyper vigilance, sleep disturbances, paranoia and other manifestations of this trauma.

We explore boundary work and identify what you need in your relationship to feel safe and begin healing. We workshop the next steps you can take navigating your damaged relationship and identify the nature of the relationship you want with the betraying person.

Throughout your healing journey you may wish to engage with other forms of support alongside our work. I have strong referral pathways to: